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Google coughs up $5.5m to settle 2012 Apple Safari privacy case

Begrudgingly probably

HEY, REMEMBER when Google got into all that trouble for snarfing personal information by tracking Safari users' web browsing habits? Well, it's pay day and Google is going to have to spend $5.5m to settle the mess.

This is on top of some other fines that the firm has already paid during the case, which began in 2012 when researchers found that Google had taken the safari idea too far and used it as an opportunity for big game hunting of the personal data variety.

"Consumers should be able to know whether there are other eyes surfing the web with them. By tracking millions of people without their knowledge, Google violated not only their privacy but their trust," said New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman at the time.

"We must give consumers the reassurance that they can browse the internet safely and securely. My office will continue to protect New Yorkers from any attempts to deliberately expose their personal data."

Google has not yet responded to our request for comment on the latest reported settlement, but the company told us in 2013 that it was keen to work with the authorities.

"We work hard to get privacy right at Google and have taken steps to remove the ad cookies, which collected no personal information, from Apple's browsers," Google said in a statement.

"We're pleased to have worked with the state attorneys general to reach this agreement."

Google's payment of $5.5m will settle the class-action suit, but the affected consumers will not get a dime, according to the Fortune website, as the money will go to privacy groups and on legal fees. µ